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AD HOCISM IN RELIEF AND REHAB EFFORTS MAKING LIFE MORE DIFFICULT FOR VICTIMS

SAFER:

PHL’S FIRST FUNDRAISING CONSORTIUM

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By Rene Acosta

EING among the first to respond in times of manmade and natural disasters, locally bred nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) know that the ad hoc approach to disaster response and rehabilitation is only making life more miserable for the victims.

This was evident in the three strongest typhoons that hit the country in recent years, as well as in the months-long Marawi siege. With this, three of the countries biggest NGOs—NASSA/ Caritas Philippines, Humanitarian Response Consortium (HRC) and Caucus of Development NGOs (Code-NGO)—decided to join forces and show to everyone that ad hocism should not be the norm when it comes to humani-

tarian efforts. Their union gave birth to SAFER—or the Shared Aid Fund for Emergency Response. Its primary goal is to ensure steady source of funding for private sector-led disaster response and humanitarian efforts. “Actually, all these three national organizations have long been doing not only humanitarian but also development work as well. So there had been lots of effort al-

THIS November 23, 2013, file photo shows a tent city for survivors of Haiyan, one of the world’s strongest typhoons to make landfall, in Tacloban City. AP/BULLIT MARQUEZ

ready in responding to calamities… but as you see the efforts have not been consolidated,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, SAFER’s chairman. “So we have our respective networks of community—we, in the Church, them, in the NGO— but there had not been any effort to bring together all these national networks to respond together, at least in terms of fundraising,” he added. SAFER now serves as the local

fundraising consortium that will hasten the rehabilitation efforts for Filipinos affected by natural and man-made calamities.

Transparency and accountability

GARIGUEZ, who is also the executive secretary of NASSA/Caritas, said SAFER’s aid and rehabilitation programs will be carried out and implemented with full accountability and transparency. Continued on A2

Expect the worst as Naia undergoes runway refurbishing

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By Recto Mercene

PAL’s international flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver and New York employed the “planned delay.” “Scheduled to arrive at about 4 am, these flights were moved to land at a minute past 6 in the morning,” Lina said. On the other hand, the flag carrier’s flights to Hong Kong, Narita, Kansai, Macau and Nagoya were rescheduled, as well as those for Siem Rep in Cambodia, and Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei. Air Asia flights to Kuala Lumpur were rescheduled, including those from Denpasar, Indonesia, and Taipei. Meanwhile, all departures of Cebu Pacific flights to Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Tablas, Butuan, totaling some 17 flights, were also moved to other time slots, according to Lina.

The repair and maintenance works for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) will begin this month, entailing the gateway’s closure from 12 midnight to 6 a.m. daily. This is done every six years to make sure the runway of the airport, where scores of commercial airplanes—many of which weigh the equivalent of 50 or more elephants—tread every day, is safe.

to undergo maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). The largest commercial aircraft in the world weighs 578 tons, or equivalent to the weight of some 116 elephants with an average weight of 5 tons. Sometimes, too, the Russians’ Antonov plane or the Americans’ Galaxy 5, designed to carry extraordinary loads, land and take off at the Naia, contributing to the airstrip’s decline.

THE “heavyweights” that land at Naia almost every hour daily include the Airbus 330, which weighs 242 tons, and the Boeing 777, weighing 388 tons. Once in a while, an airplane that weighs more than 100 elephants squashes the runway when an A380 comes to Manila

THE premier airport is already reeling from air-traffic congestion, and it is expected that its six-hour closure to air traffic for 365 days would expectedly result in a decline in the number of flights. And less number of flights would mean foregone revenues that amount to millions of pesos a day.

Heavyweights

ARTYOORAN | DREAMSTIME.COM

VEN with the congestion woes and all, the country’s premier airport will have to shed six operating hours daily for about a year to give way to the periodic refurbishing of its runway.

Effects

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.3460

Engineer Bing Lina, Naia assistant general manager for operations, said Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific are the two carriers whose schedules were greatly af-

fected. However, he said, these carriers were able to reschedule their flights to conform to the closure, while some flights were canceled as slots had ran out.

He said some flights changed routes while others were able to have “planned delay,” coming or leaving the Naia outside of the runway closure.

Aeronautical fees

BECAUSE of the high cost of maintaining an international-caliber airport, landing, takeoff and parking fees, bunched together as “aeronautical fees,” are expensive. CEB spokesman Charo Logarta said it may take some time for the airline to provide the BusinessMirror the actual cost of aeronautical fees, meaning the Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4474 n UK 68.1081 n HK 6.4464 n CHINA 7.6178 n SINGAPORE 37.3376 n AUSTRALIA 38.0817 n EU 59.9319 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.4253

Source: BSP (December 1, 2017 )

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A2 Sunday, May 20, 2018

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SAFER: PHL’s first fundraising consortium Continued from A1

“We are determined to do the work together, particularly in terms of fundraising and trying to implement the response with full accountability and transparency and efficiency,” he said. While the country is regularly battered by ensuing typhoons and other calamities, a big portion of its funds for assistance and rehabilitation is coming from international donors and aid agencies.

Damage cost, victims

ON the average, the country is experiencing at least 10 destructive typhoons every year and at least 1.18 million Filipinos are being affected by natural disasters, with the damage reaching P26 billion, including at least 250,000 houses. In a span of five years, Typhoons Yolanda, Pablo and Juan have hit the country. The three strongest typhoons have damaged a total of nearly $4 billion worth of agriculture, houses and infrastructure projects. While Yolanda, which devastated a large area of the Visayas and damaged at least 1.14 million houses, struck in 2013, its victims are yet to be fully rehabilitated, including the provision of new homes to the affected families. Gariguez said they were keeping the victims of Yolanda in mind when they formed SAFER, which, he said, was conceptualized as early as 2015. “Actually, it was Haiyan [Yolanda] that made us realize more about the need for coordination because that was the biggest

disaster that we had. So you see the response that we had during that time, [was] not really well-coordinated, even from the government sector. All the more with the NGOs, we did our work separately, independently of each other,” he said. Even to this date, problems still beset the victims of Haiyan. “There is no electricity, there is no water. Even the room itself, the houses, they are just like that,” Gariguez said. “That’s one thing also that we want to ensure, the accountability. Whenever we do our work, we make sure that quality is ensured and also we can set accountability even for reporting, in terms of fund reporting, and that’s what we’ve been doing all along,” he said.

The Marawi story

IN the case of Marawi City, SAFER noted how life remains miserable for the victims of the five-month conflict, which razed the city to the ground. “I have seen many people still living in tents and how miserable life is. It is hot, people don’t stay inside the tent during the day, they stay outside, and there are many situations like that and I’ve seen it with my own eyes; it makes you cry,” Gariguez said. “That’s the challenge...that concretely how can we proceed… how do we respond, and how do we complement the efforts of the government on the ground,” he added. Gariguez said the rehabilitation of Marawi should not be too much dependent on the efforts and benevolence of foreigners.

“There should be local action also coming from us, to help one another, to be in solidarity, and Filipinos have this kind of spirit. They want to help. We need to tap these resources, the heart of the people willing to give and to be in solidar-

ity with people in need,” he said.

‘Revolution’

GARIGUEZ said SAFER will revolutionize assistance efforts in the country by filling in the gaps. “Our people are willing to give

and even corporations, but they do not have a venue, so to say. SAFER, as an organization, can also provide an assurance that we can deliver, and also, that we can hold ourselves accountable, whatever funding you will give us,” he said.

IN this October 19, 2017, file photo, Philippine Navy commandos aboard a gunboat patrol Lake Lanao as smoke rises where pro-Islamic militants are making a final stand amid a massive military offensive of Marawi City in southern Philippines. AP/ BULLIT MARQUEZ

Expect the worst as Naia undergoes runway refurbishing Continued from A1

charges for takeoff, landing and parking fees, from which the Manila International Airport (MIAA) derives its major source of income. Cebu Pacific has about 230 to 250 flights daily in and out of Manila, of which about 20 percent are international. “But as the largest Philippine carrier, Cebu Pacific [and subsidiary Cebgo, which operates out of Naia Terminal 4], we pay a significant monthly amount to MIAA,” Logarta added. A list provided by Jess Martinez, head of Media Affairs Division (MAD), said charges, computed in US dollars, are as follows: • for airplanes weighing from 50,000 kg upward, $2.48/500 kg, or a fraction thereof. • from 50,001 kg to 100,000 kg, $248.12 plus $3.11 / 500 kg, or a fraction thereof in excess of 50,000 kg. • from 100,001 kg and over, $557.73 plus $3.11/500 kg, or a fraction thereof in excess of 100,000 kg. Charges for domestic operations were not included. The Naia is estimated to have a yearly income of about P5 billion.

Repair, maintenance process

ENGINEER Ricardo Medalla, Naia assistant general manager for engineering who has been appointed project manager for the repair and overlay of Runway 06/24, thus describes how the uplifting of Naia would be done. The repair of the airstrip, which could cost P540 million, is done every five years, according to Filjack, a Filipino-Japanese consultant that assesses the integrity of the runway based on the standards set by international aviation. For more developed economies, the restoration is done every three years, Medalla added. He said runways of advanced economies are used more often by more and heavier airplanes, and therefore, their rate of deterioration is faster.

He said that even if the airfield is laid with a special formulation of bitumen, the constant pounding it receives daily from hundreds of airplanes takes its toll on the integrity of the landing field’s surface. But the almost half-a-billionpeso budget for the repaving is only half the story. Another P165 million is also allocated to replace the 200 old runway center lights. According to Medalla, the runway lights are actually madeto-order contraptions, with each light housed in a separate module. The modules are then buried on the ground in a specially prepared hole lined with concrete, about a meter deep and some 20 inches in diameter. Covering the light is an impactproof, six-inch glass to withstand the force of two front landing gears smashing the ground on touchdown at speeds ranging from about 100 kilometers per hour for a landing plane and more than 200 kph for those taking off.

‘Derubberize’

ALL of these expensive maintenance is still separate from “derubberizing,” which requires another set of contract, done only by those with previous experience in this kind of work. “You see, every time an airplane lands, the sheer weight of these behemoths leaves traces of rubber on the runway,” Medalla added. He said these rubber compounds that accumulate over time had to be removed by huge scrapers. The buildup soon develops into a rough surface that could cause accidents if not removed. Readycon Construction Corp., a veteran runway repairer, has bagged the P540-million contract for the repair and overhaul of 06/24. The runway lights contract is up for bidding. Asked who are qualified to bid for these projects, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal said bidders in one of these multimilllion peso projects “require not only money, but expertise.”

He said Readycon has practically cornered the contract because the contractor not only has the money and expertise, but also the myriad machineries to do the job. Monreal added: “One of the stipulations for those wanting to bid in these airport projects is to meet the ‘Similar Project’ requirement,” which means that a contractor who had previously engaged in a project that is at least one half the amount the MIAA is offering for bidding,” he said. “Readycon is under pressure to finish the job at 5 a.m., one hour before the runway is closed, because we need to cool the asphalt first,” said Fernando Palad, head of the project management office of Readycon. Palad said a section of the runway is cleared, then the removal of two inches thick of the surface and then replaced with an equal thickness of asphalt. To do this, an army of specialized equipment is lined up, starting with four milling machines that scrape the loose surface. This is followed by two asphalt pavers and one spare in case these conk out. The fresh layer is flattened by six rollers; four floodlights mounted on tall metal towers; two air compressors, two industrial-size vacuum cleaners to suck any debris and, finally, the water truck. “Six hours is a very limited time,” Palad said, saying 400 tons of newly cooked asphalt loaded on 25 trucks are lined up ready to dislodge their cargo once the signal is given. “All 25 trucks of asphalt must be dumped, laid, evenly flattened and cooled before any aircraft could land on it. “It takes one hour to cool the asphalt, so we must finish the job at 5 a.m.,” Palad explains. Medalla, on the other hand, is assisted by 10 engineers in the civil and electrical works. There are also three employees who are project coordinators, one on operation matters and another control-tower coordinator.

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The World BusinessMirror

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Lawmakers to Xi aide: Stop China’s unfair trade actions by Erik Wasson, Andrew Mayeda & Anna Edgerton

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Bloomberg News

nited States lawmakers pressed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s top economic adviser to stop unfair trading practices as the nations try to pull back from the brink of a trade conflict. “I urged the Chinese vice premier to seize this moment in time to address these lasting concerns and to continue to grow this relationship in a more fair way,” said Kevin Brady, the Republican chair of the House Ways and Means Committee that oversees trade issues. Brady spoke to reporters in Washington after his committee met with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, who is visiting Washington this week for talks with the Trump administration on ways to resolve a brewing trade dispute. Liu’s visit follows a trip to Beijing earlier this month by a high-level US delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Later, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, a Republican, sounded a more pessimistic tone over a deal to avert tariffs after he met with Liu. A sked if the Tr ump administration will move forward with proposed levies on Chinese goods, Hatch said “I think they will go into effect.” A Senate Republican aide said that Hatch doesn’t support tariffs and is hopeful the US won’t need to use them, but he wants

to ensure the administration can keep them on the table, particularly with China in town this week. Liu gave the OK hand gesture to waiting reporters as he left Hatch’s office.

ZTE, trade

Earlier Wednesday, President Donald Trump continued to defend the lifeline he offered to Chinese telecom-equipment maker ZTE Corp., insisting trade talks with Beijing are just getting started. “Nothing has happened with ZTE except as it pertains to the larger trade deal,” Trump said in a series of tweets Wednesday. The president surprised many in Washington over the weekend by saying he’s working with Xi to help ZTE “get back into business, fast.” The Chinese company has been crippled by a US decision to cut off its access to key components from American suppliers for making false statements in a sanctions case.

U-turn criticism

T rump ’s re v e r s a l w a s c o n demned by both Republican and D e mo c r at ic l aw m a k e r s , a nd

A shipping container is loaded onto a truck at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California, United States on December 15, 2011. The Port of Los Angeles, also called Los Angeles Harbor, adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach, employs over 16,000 people, and is the busiest container port in the US. Tim Rue/Bloomberg

raised questions about whether the president was softening his approach in trade negotiations w ith China. Flor ida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said the move was a sign that the US was about to “get out-negotiated by China again.” Brady and Hatch said the issue of ZTE didn’t come up during Liu’s meetings with lawmakers. Mnuchin will lead discussions with Liu, along with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and US Trade Representat ive Rober t Lighthizer, at the Treasury Department offices in Washington on T hursday and Fr iday, the White House said in a statement. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, a China trade hawk, was initially excluded from the negotiations, according to two administration officials. But a W hite House official later said that he would participate in the talks. The officials were granted anonymity to discuss the matter. Before officials traveled to Beijing for talks, the US issued a series of demands, including that China reduce its trade surplus with the US by $200 billion in two years. According to

a document seen by Bloomberg News, Beijing asked the US to open government procurement to Chinese firms, and soften the Commerce Department penalty on ZTE, among other things. “We have not seen China’s demands yet, which should be few in that previous US administrations have done so poorly in negotiating,” Trump said. “China has seen our demands.” Uncertainty over relations between the US and China has roiled financial markets and raised concerns among businesses worried about a trade war. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on as much as $150 billion in Chinese imports to punish Beijing for violating American intellectualproperty rights. China has vowed to retaliate on everything from US soybeans to airplanes. Liu told the group of House re pre s e nt at ive s on We d ne s day that he wanted to address trade imbalances by increasing Chinese demand for American products, Brady said. “The vice premier stated that he was here to listen to our concerns and he recognizes there are problems in this trade relationship.”

Oil reaches highest since late 2014 after US surplus shrinks

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rude settled at the highest since 2014 as shrinking US oil, gasoline and diesel stockpiles signaled tightening global supplies. Futures ended Wednesday’s session 0.3 percent higher in New York after fluctuating between gains and losses. An International Energy Agency forecast for less robust energy demand overshadowed a United States government tally showing record overseas demand for American crude and declining domestic stockpiles of oil and fuels. “People are starting to wonder if we are going to see a very tight market during the summer when the driving season really hits” in North America, said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research in Winchester, Massachusetts. Crude this month climbed to levels not seen in more than three years as global markets tightened and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East heightened supply concerns. Despite surging US crude production, surpluses stored in terminals and tankers have been shrinking. “Another week of draws across the board is certainly positive for current prices,” said Matthew Beck, managing director of an $8 billion oil and natural gas portfolio at John Hancock Financial Services Inc. in Boston. The continued withdrawals “reflect a fairly tight market.” West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery edged up 18 cents to settle at $71.49 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent for July settlement rose 85 cents to end the session at $79.28 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at a $7.72 premium to WTI for July, the largest for the front-month spread since 2015. The US Energy Information Administration said crude stockpiles fell by 1.4 million barrels last week. At the same time, gasoline stockpiles shrank by 3.79 million and distillates fell by 92,000. Helping to contribute to the crude draw was a 689,000 barrel-a-day jump in exports. Aside from lowering its demand outlook, the Paris-based IEA said production outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will grow by 1.87 million barrels a day this year, or 85,000 a day more than previously thought. “We saw some expectations for demand actually come down a little bit. That’s just due to higher crude oil prices and the thought that that might curb gasoline demand a little bit globally,” said Brian Kessens, who helps manage $16 billion in energy assets at Tortoise. Bloomberg News

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Trump team’s daunting to-do list to get ready for N. Korea summit

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ASHINGTON —Who sits where? What’s on the agenda? Will they eat together? What’s the security plan? President Donald J. Trump and his team have a daunting to-do list to work through as they prepare for next month’s expected summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump’s plan to meet with Kim may have come as a surprise decision, but his team hopes to leave nothing to chance when they come together in Singapore. They’re gaming out policy plans, negotiating tactics, even menu items. With two unpredictable leaders, it’s hard to anticipate every possibility. But White House aides are expecting hard-ball negotiating tactics—already in evidence this week as the North Koreans cast fresh doubt on the sit-down. Leader summits on this level are a massive undertaking. Much like icebergs, only a small fraction of the work is visible above the waterline. And when the meeting involves the heads of two technically still-warring states, the list of logistical concerns expands, including sensitive items like the number and deployment of security officers. Officials on both sides are still determining the format for the meeting or meetings, whether Trump and Kim will share a meal, and the extent of any one-on-one interactions. All of that comes as the US formulates its strategies for the talks, including what the US is prepared to give up and how precisely to define “denuclearization” on the Korean Peninsula—Trump’s stated goal. “I would say there are hundreds if not thousands of hours put into summit preparations,” said Patrick McEachern, a public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wi l s o n Ce n te r a n d a f o r m e r S t ate Department official. Scott Mulhauser, a former chief of staff at the US Embassy in Beijing, said that in the leadup to summit meetings, staffs try to anticipate the various negotiating positions their counterparts might take, adding that “if you’re not gaming that out, you’re not preparing adequately.” Trump is relying heavily on his top diplomat, Mike Pompeo, in preparing for the summit. Pompeo has met with Kim twice in Pyongyang, once as secretary of state and once as CIA chief, and has spent more time with the reclusive leader than any other American official. The amount of face time Pompeo has had with Kim rivals even that of most Asian leaders, apart from the Chinese. Pompeo assembled a working group to handle negotiations with North Korea led by a retired senior CIA official with deep experience in the region. That team, based at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, remains the center of the administration’s North Korea expertise. Planning for the summit started quickly

after Trump announced on Twitter his plans to meet with Kim, but kicked into higher gear after John Bolton became Trump’s national security adviser last month. In addition to Pompeo’s two trips to Pyongyang, US officials have also been coordinating with the North Koreans through what’s known as the “New York channel”—North Korean diplomats posted to their country’s mission to the United Nations. A key question is the format for the meeting if the two countries are able to proceed to full-fledged nuclear negotiations, US officials have said. That includes decisions about whether to keep the talks limited to the US and North Korea or whether to bring other governments into the process, such as South Korea, China, Russia and Japan. Also key is what the US will negotiate away. “One thing that is unclear to us is what the US is willing to negotiate in exchange for North Korea’s promises on denuclearization,” said Jean Lee, director of the North Korea program at the Woodrow Wilson Center. “The North Koreans are going to be armed and very ready to negotiate. The Trump administration needs to be ready as well.” One initial hurdle that Pompeo managed to clear during his second visit to Pyongyang was the venue for the summit. North Korea was adamant that Kim not be put in any kind of situation where his security could be at risk, US officials said. North Korean officials pushed very hard for the meeting to be in Pyongyang, so Kim would not have to leave the country and they could have 100 percent control over access and communications, according to the officials. When North Korea objected to Trump’s preferred choice of the demilitarized zone on the border between North and South Korea, the US countered with Singapore. Some White House officials also opposed the DMZ choice, believing the optics on Korean rapprochement would distract from the focus on denuclearization. US officials said they believed one reason the Nor th Koreans agreed to Singapore was that Kim had just returned from a successful trip to China the day before Pompeo arrived for his second visit. Many analysts, including US officials, believe that Kim’s flight to the Chinese port of Dalian—the first trip abroad by aircraft by a North Korean leader in decades—was likely a test of the country’s ability to safely transport Kim by air. Kim’s previous trips to China had all been by train, as was the custom of his father. The North formally signed off on Singapore while Pompeo was in Pyongyang. Even before Trump announced the summit site by tweet a day after Pompeo’s return, White House officials who traveled with Pompeo to Pyongyang were already on the ground in Singapore to begin working out summit logistics. AP

US smokers just don’t want to know if they have cancer

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ometimes you just don’t want to know, even when your life may hang in the balance. A new study found that fewer than 2 percent of heavy smokers in the United States get recommended lung-cancer screenings, an imaging test that can catch tumors when they are small and potentially curable. The numbers fall far short of screening for other types of cancer, including mammograms and colonoscopies—both procedures that are much more uncomfortable than the CT scan used to detect tiny tumors in the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US, killing an estimated 150,000 Americans each year. For the past five years, such groups as the US Preventive Services Task Force and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) have urged people aged 55 or older who have smoked a pack a day (or the equivalent) for three decades or more to get checked for early stage disease. Medicare, the US government’s insurance program for the elderly, pays for the procedure. None of it has made an impact. “It’s still truly abysmal,” said Danh Pham, chief fellow of hematology/oncology at the University of Louisville’s cancer center in Kentucky, who will present the findings at the ASCO cancer meeting next month in Chicago. “We would like to make this a true call to action, whether it’s for more education or more research, to know why this disparity exists for lung-cancer.” It took a while for public health officials

to start recommending routine lung cancer screening, because of questions about its accuracy and its ability to make a difference once the disease was detected. Subsequent studies confirmed the benefits for the heaviest smokers, with the use of screening intended for those most vulnerable to tumors. The researchers analyzed registry data for everyone who underwent lung-cancer screening in 2016, and found that 141,260 of the 7.6 million people eligible, or 1.9 percent, received it. By comparison, from 60 percent to 80 percent of eligible people get screening for breast, cervical and colon cancer, said Bruce Johnson, president of the Asco and chief clinical research officer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The testing shortfall could stem from primary care doctors’ failure to refer high-risk patients to one of 1,800 approved centers nationwide which provide the service. Psychological issues could also play a role, including fear of being diagnosed with a disease that smokers are constantly reminded of, Pham said. “It’s very difficult to get patients to have this conversation with their doctors because of the stigma,”he added. “People may not want to know if they have lung-cancer because it could confirm they’ve made bad lifestyle choices.” Lung cancer deaths exceed those from breast, colon, pancreas and prostate cancer combined. There are very compelling reasons to get screened, Johnson. said Bloomberg News

Sports BusinessMirror

Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

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By Gary B. Graves The Associated Press

OUISVILLE, Kentucky—Horse racing has been struggling for years to regain a strong footing on the national sports landscape, and owners hope to use betting on other sports to bring fans back to the tracks. The gamble is not a sure thing because not everyone is onboard with the Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this week that allows states to offer sports betting. Track owners believe horse racing has an advantage since racetracks in many states will be among the first to allow sports gambling. Many racetracks already offer slot machines and table games—popularly known as racinos— in addition to betting on horses. “The economics of it, we will begin to see how it works,” said Stronach Group COO Tim Ritvo, whose company owns racetracks throughout the country. One of those tracks is Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, site of Saturday’s 143rd Preakness. The aging track needs an overhaul and Ritvo is hoping for a boost from sports betting. He doesn’t believe sports betting is “going to be this huge windfall of money, but it’s an added amenity for a customer, where he can go to an event like a racetrack and bet some races and bet some games and watch some games,” Ritvo said. “It becomes a social experience.” The nation’s highest court ruled 6-3 on Monday to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, a 1992 federal law that had banned sports betting in every state but Nevada and a few others with limited wagering. Horse racing must overcome stiff political opposition in two of the Triple Crown states—Kentucky and Maryland— to take advantage of the ruling. Kentucky is capital of thoroughbred horses but has no casinos. Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia have several casinos and racinos sitting across the Ohio River. That has sparked criticism about money leaving Kentucky, but casino gambling hasn’t advanced in recent years, and Gov. Matt Bevin is opposed. Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer isn’t sure the Supreme Court’s decision will change minds in his state. “We’ve got some time to try wrap our heads around it and find out if it’s something we want to do and if so, how to do it,” said the Republican, who expects to hear all sides by the time the legislature convenes in January. In Maryland there is a stalemate among legislators largely due to disagreements about who should be allowed to have sports betting—casinos and/or horse racing tracks. There is a chance legalized sports betting won’t happen in Maryland until at least 2020. Horse racing needs more immediate help. Churchill Downs Inc. wasted little time taking a step on this new frontier. The company announced an agreement on Wednesday with Golden Nugget Atlantic City to enter online gambling and sports betting in New Jersey. The handle, the total of money wagered at tracks nationwide, has fallen from $15.18 billion in 2003 to just under $11 billion the past seven years. Industry web site Equibase hasn’t tracked attendance since the mid-1990s, but it has been dropping. Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the National

Sunday, May 20, 2018

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HORSE RACING WOES

Track owners believe horse racing has an advantage since racetracks in many states will be among the first to allow sports gambling. AP

Thoroughbred Racing Association, said the sport is “holding its own” financially through all of the betting platforms. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s previous Derby winner, American Pharoah, created a buzz three years ago in becoming the sport’s first Triple Crown champion since 1978. It remains to be seen if Baffert’s colt Justify—the Kentucky Derby winner and favorite in Saturday’s Preakness—can generate similar interest, but that still won’t be enough for Baffert. He believes casino gambling could be the way to bring some new fans to the rail. And as casinos now look to expand with professional sports books, there’s also a chance to add live race simulcasts. “You’re now going to see casinos, if they don’t already have race and sports books, interested in putting those in,” Waldrop said. “The two are perfect compliments and

we see them all over Las Vegas. Perhaps we’ll see them in commercial casinos, and that would be a boon for horse racing. Anytime we can expand our distribution platform is a good thing.” Casino gambling is available in 40 states, with horse racing in 32 and 14 with racinos. Many tracks have reduced races but have remained financially solid because slot machines and table games are more profitable. Bettors interested in Justify or his challengers in the Preakness can bet at racinos or tracks with simulcast wagering, online in states that allow it, at sports books in Nevada or in states with off-track betting options. But with New Jersey poised to begin sports betting within weeks at Monmouth Park and other states soon to

follow, many more options could be available by this fall’s Breeders’ Cup championships at Churchill Downs. Baffert just wants to see the sport do well, and he believes the Supreme Court ruling could be a jumping off point. “I love when they say record-breaking handles, which means people are involved and still into it,” Baffert said. “Everybody’s betting on their phones now, less people are coming to the races because they’ve made it so convenient. “You like to win when there’s a crowd. That’s why Breeders’ Cup, Derby, anybody that wins a race even on the undercard, it means a lot because there’s 100,000 people here watching you win a race,” he said. “Everyone wants to win when the whole world is watching.” And Baffert believes more people will watch if more could bet. AP

INDON SPORTS HEAD LOBBIES FOR PHL ASIAN GAMES IN 2030 T

HE 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games is still in the works but the country may be headed toward a more gargantuan task of hosting the 2030 edition of the Asian Games. In the news conference capping the two-day Southeast Asian Games Federation Council Meeting on Thursday, Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairman Erick Thohir vowed to lobby the country as a candidate host for the 2030 continental games. Thohir was amazed with the hospitality of Filipinos, who hosted more than 80 sports leaders from the region in the council

meeting, prompting him to make a bold statement that the Philippines may be inching toward the Asian Games. “The Philippines wants to host the biggestever SEA Games. The next step for them is to host the 2030 Asian Games. This is the beginning,” Thohir said. The Philippines hosted the Asian Games only once, in 1954 during the quadrennial event’s second edition. Indonesia, meanwhile, will host the 19th edition of the games in August. “This is business, about national branding and infrastructure. I will lobby the hosting of the Philippines,” he added. A solid indication for a possible Asian Games

in the Philippines, according to Thohir, is the Clark Green City in Tarlac, which will be the main hub of the 30th Sea Games the country is hosting from November 30 to December 10 in 2019. The 200-hectare development will have a world-class sports complex with an aquatics and athletic center. Construction is expected to be finished in July 2019. Philippine Olympic Committee President Ricky Vargas welcomed Thohir’s suggestion, but stressed the effort should come from each and every Filipino. “If Filipinos put their hearts into it, we can do this and on a larger scale. It would take a lot of people to do this,” Vargas said. Ramon Rafael Bonilla

INDONESIA Asian Games Organizing Committee Chairman Erick Thohir addresses a news conference. With him is Southeast Asian Games Federation Chairman Celso Dayrit. ALYSA SALEN

EMBLEM OF YOUTHFUL ENGLAND SQUAD

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rent Alexander-Arnold is 19, still lives with his mother and was playing in Liverpool’s reserve team this time last year. Now he’s preparing to mark Cristiano Ronaldo in next week’s Champions League final and is the emblematic figure of a youthful and boldly assembled England squad heading to the World Cup in Russia. Alexander-Arnold was the headline pick on Wednesday in a 23-man group containing 449 caps, making it the most inexperienced World Cup squad selected by England this century. Only two players are over the age of 30, and only one player has more than 38 caps. “I believe this is a squad which we can be excited about,” said England Coach Gareth Southgate, who stuck to his footballing beliefs and didn’t fall into

the trap that some of his predecessors have of opting for established names over form players. Longtime goalkeeper Joe Hart and injury-prone midfielder Jack Wilshere were omitted, for example. Chris Smalling, who has had a good season for Manchester United, was also overlooked because Southgate wants defenders who are comfortable in possession. Southgate has been strong-willed in his 18 months in charge—he virtually brought Wayne Rooney’s long England career to a close—and he hasn’t buckled under pressure. “We have a lot of energy and athleticism in the team,” Southgate said, “but players that are equally comfortable in possession of the ball and I think people can see the style of play we’ve been looking to develop.” Alexander-Arnold has all that, and more. He only made his senior debut for Liverpool only 17 months ago but is now a regular at right back in Juergen Klopp’s team, which will take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final on May 26. Lean, strong in the tackle and athletic, AlexanderArnold is the archetypal modern-day full back— attacking, energetic, and with a good delivery. He often takes free kicks and has played in midfield in recent

Trent Alexander-Arnold, 19, is preparing to mark Cristiano Ronaldo in next week’s Champions League final and is the emblematic figure of a youthful and boldly assembled England squad heading to the World Cup in Russia. AP

Premier League matches. The teenager is uncapped, although he was invited to train with England in March. “Dreamt of going to a World Cup since I was a kid,” tweeted Alexander-Arnold, who—to some—is still is a kid. “Today that dream came true.” Around the same time, another youngster, 21-yearold Man United striker Marcus Rashford, was thanking his mother in a tweet for “years of you standing on the touch line in the cold and rain.” “Mum we’re off to the World Cup!” Rashford said. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is another bold selection by Southgate, a midfielder who wasn’t deemed good enough to play for Chelsea this season but has impressed on loan at Crystal Palace and starred on his international debut against Germany in November. The inclusion of versatile players like Alexander-Arnold, Ashley Young and Fabian Delph, who can all play in defense and midfield, provides options for Southgate, who has tinkered with 4-3-3, 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 formations. Central midfield seems light on experience and cover—Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier are the only real mainstays—but Southgate is confident the likes of LoftusCheek and Jesse Lingard can fill in. Hart was England’s first-choice goalkeeper at the last World Cup and the two most recent European Championships, and was Southgate’s No. 1 only five months ago. AP

MORE BEST CLINICS UP

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HE pioneering and award-winning Basketball Efficiency Scientific Training (BEST) Center will have four more provincial sorties this summer while new sessions are set at the Ateneo covered courts starting on June 4. According to BEST Center Founder and President Nic Jorge, students presently enrolled in the Milo-sponsored clinics have requested for more sessions. The Ateneo clinics will be from 8:30 to 11:30 am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. They will be held on June 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16 and 19 The provincial schedules beginning from May 21 to 26 will be in Tagaytay City at the Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol on SVD Road in Mag-asawang Ilat for Levels 1, 2 and 3. Contact numbers are 0917-1021591 and 0917-9062909. Valencia in Bukidnon will also host clinics at the Goodwill Giants Sports Town for Levels 1 and 2 through Chow Vega at 0955-125-2502 or 0917-717-2104. Laoag City clinics are set at the Ilocos Norte National High School Gym for Levels 1 and 2 with Lito Custodio (09162748359, 0922-2915399 or 0919-679 8765) as organizer. Sundays-only classes are set in Balagtas in Bulacan at the Don Pedro Cayetano Sports Complex for Levels 1, 2 and 3 through Tina Miranda (0936-2025763). The last day for enrollment is on May 20. The Best Center is a recipient of the Olympism Award from the Philippine Olympic Committee and is a Hall of Fame awardee of the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Nocos, Bayking win in Cantilan

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APU LAPU City’s Tiffany Claire Nocos and San Carlos City’s Bliss Bayking continued to flash championship form in the Cantilan leg of the Cebuana Lhuillier Age Group Tennis Series in Surigao del Sur. Nocos won both the girls’ 14- and 16-under titles, while Bayking extended her dominance in the girls’ 18-under of the tournament backed by Dunlop. A total of 143 players from the Visayas and Mindanao saw action in the leg. Nocos made short work of Sirigao del Sur’s Maxie Gemma Guarte, 6-0, 6-1, in the 14-under and followed it up with a 6-2, 2-6, 10-6 et victory over Bayking in the 16-under final. Bayking made up for her loss with a 6-1, 5-7, 10-6 win over Siquijor’s Elaine Rose Bahonsua in the 18-under finals. She also won the girls’ 18-under doubles crown with Shedel Aighey Gica at the expense of Bahonsua and Angelly Esguerra, 8-6. The only other familiar name to win a title was Surigao City’s Rupert Ohrelle Tortal, who defeated Zamboanga del Sur’s Lex Estillore, 6-3, 6-4, in the boys’ 16-under division. Tortal partnered with Ashton Benne Villanueva to share the boys’ 14-under doubles title. “Seeing new faces emerge as winners in any of the legs simply proves our contention that given the opportunities, provincial players will be discovered and some previous unknown players are, in fact, already playing in international tournament under the Unified Tennis Philippines,” said Jean Henri Lhuillier, president and CEO of the sponsoring Cebuana Lhuillier Group. Local bet Claire Guysie Guardo posted a double as she ruled the girls’ 12-under—6-1,6-4 over another local player Shara Faith Correjos—and shared the girls’ 14-under doubles title with Denice Fiona Arreza in the competition cosponsored by Cantilan, headed by Mayor Philip Pichay, who awarded the trophies to the winners.

Faith A6 Sunday, May 20, 2018

Sunday

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Business as usual, work goes on during Islamic holy season

Muslims across the world observe Ramadan fasting

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Story & photos by Edd K. Usman

amadan is here! Like their brethren across the world, Muslims in the Philippines are now into the fourth day of fasting, as Islamic religious leaders in the country declared the start of Ramadan 1, 1439, on May 17.

Islam’s month of fasting is a season of mercy, forgiveness, charity, sacrifice and, most of all, taqwa (God-consciousness). Here’s why Muslims fast, said in the Holy Koran as quoted by Ustadhz Muhammad Cana, an Islamic scholar who studied in Saudi Arabia. “O ye who believe! Prescribed for you is fasting as it was prescribed to those before you that you may become God-conscious or righteous” (Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 183).

Moon-sighting

This year Ramadan falls in the months of May and June 2018. Ramadan (as-Sawm) is one of the five pillars of Islam. Ascertaining the first day of fasting is complicated, although the science of astronomy can easily provide an exact date on when the crescent of the new moon, which signals the arrival of every month of Islam’s Hijra (Flight), will appear. It’s a requirement to do what Islam’s messenger, the Prophet Muhammad, did when he was alive—sighting of the crescent moon with the naked eye. Moon-sighting is a communal activity that is repeated every year because it determines the start and end of Ramadan. Sighting of the crescent moon with the naked eye is important to Ramadan fasting. However, even Saudi A rabia’s religious leaders have acknowledged the role of science. This means there are three ways the sighting of the Ramadan crescent can be done— such as using telescopes and binoculars, astronomical charts and with the naked eye.

Moon cycles

Hijra’s dates are determined by the cycles of the moon. Thus, a Muslim year moves back by about 11 days vis-à-vis the sun-based Gregorian calendar. It is the reason the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) has been forming a National Moon-sighting Committee (NMSC) every year. Cana, an imam who works at NCMF and a member of the committee, said they deployed on May 15 evening NMSC members nationwide in coordination with Darul Iftah (House of Opinion) in Mindanao. The committee has also been coordinating with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration of the Department of Science and Technology (DOSTPagasa), he said. Cana added the moon was not seen then, thus, the Darul Iftah declared the first day of Ramadan was on May 17. Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are among countries that also started fasting last Thursday.

Ramadan evening prayer at the Blue Mosque.

Cana quoted the prophet’s words: “Start fasting when you see it [i.e. the crescent] and stop fasting [i.e. Ramaān is over] when you see it. If the sky is cloudy [and you can’t see the crescent on the 29th] then consider Shaʿbān as 30 days. “In the Islamic lunar calendar called Hijra [Flight], this is year 1439, where a year is either 354 or 355 days.”

Excused from fasting

Excused from the fast are the sick, elderly, diabetic and women who are pregnant, with a monthly period or breast-feeding. For people who are on travel, or not well enough to fast during Ramadan are allowed to replace the fast they missed with equal number at some later days. Children before puberty are not obliged to fast, although many fast voluntarily.

Worship intensifies

Worship intensif ies dur ing the month: night ly Taraweeh prayers, reading of the Holy Koran, more people joining Mass prayers, giving of charity, etc. In the last 10 days of Ramadan, Tahajud prayers are performed at midnight. During Ramadan the greeting is “Ramadan Kareem,” which roughly means “Happy/Generous Ramadan” or “Ramadan Mubarak [Blessed Ramadan].”

Ramadan day schedule

Every fast starts with breakfast before sunrise, called suhoor, followed by Fajr, the dawn prayers. Families wake up around 2 a.m. to cook food for suhoor, which more likely includes soup, and either fish, chicken, vegetables or meat for those who can afford. A bout 13 hou rs l ater t he

Receive the Holy Spirit Msgr. Josefino S. Ramirez SUNDAY GOSPEL IN OUR LIFE

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e all need a close encounter with the people who matter in our life. It’s something we plan for, schedule and make time for. If we are doing it for them, can you imagine what life would be if we also did the same for God? For us to have that close encounter, we must be in the right place and keep open to His presence. When we look back at those times, we were like the disciples w ho cowe re d b e h i nd lo c k e d doors. They were low points in our life and it was when we encountered Jesus. Think of a mountain with valleys. Our life can be likened to it. When we are atop the mountain, we see the beautiful view below. But to know the life in the valley, we have to take several steps down. That is our life’s ups and downs. We go through them so we can look back how far we have made it but realize that we can’t really stop. We continue to walk through the valleys to get to the next peak.

Su re , t he v ie w i s n ic e r up t he r e b ut it ’s re a l l y i n t he “v a l l e y s” w he re w e h a d ou r c lo s e e ncou nt e r s w it h G o d . So no matter how much fear we have and close all doors, God understands that fear and tells us no amount of hiding behind any door will keep Him from being present in us. He will penetrate our defenses and will simply overcome our fear with joy. He will free us and give us life in all its fullness. Take this time to be still, to wait on God—to realize that Jesus approaches us as He did the disciples, wishing us peace. We hear Him say “peace be with you.” Embrace and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit and pass it on with joy to those around us. We are called into a mission, too. How wonderful it is to be the bearer of good news in our own place and time. L e t u s we l come t he Hol y Spirit in our hearts of hearts and celebrate the “ first day” of our renewed creation.

Saint Dymphna, Virgin and Martyr

Total abstention

Cana said Islamic fasting requires tota l abstention from food, drinks, smoking and sexual relations from dawn to dusk. “Muslims perform the Ramadan fast for fear of God and to get closer to Him, to develop God-consciousness, patience and empathy with the less fortunate,” Cana said. Just a morsel of food, or a sip of liquid, or a puff of smoke invalidates one’s fast, not to say doing sexual relations, he said. Not only that, he added, as Muslims fast they are also enjoined to refrain from sinful speech and behavior.

Pentecost Sunday: ‘John 20:19-23’

By Corazon Damo-Santiago

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fter Saint Dymphna’s death, some lunatics wandered in the countryside of Gheel in Belgium. They slept there and woke up cured. Since then she was called the “patron saint of people afflicted with mental and spiritual afflictions” (Saint Dymphna, www.saint-mike.org). Many miracles were recorded at her shrine in Gheel.

Mosques, like the Blue Mosque in Maharlika Village in Taguig City, play vital roles in Ramadan worship.

kitchen in every household will become busy again, from about 3 p.m., to prepare food for iftar (breaking of fast) at sunset. Azan, or the call to prayers from mosques for Maghreb is a signal to break the fast. For iftar, families usually prepare bread, fruits, fruit salad, sindol (banana, sticky rice, sweet potato cooked in coconut) and the usual fare of viand and rice. Every Moro tribe has its own native food and delicacies. Ramadan is a time to showcase them on the table. It is not unusual that some neighbors are invited to break the fast with them. Traditionally, khorma (dates) are the first food eaten during iftar. It is the sweetened fruit from the Middle East which Islam’s prophet also ate. After eating dates and drinking milk, juice or water, some prefer performing the Maghreb prayers first, then eat a full meal. All the prohibited activities between sunset and sunrise are already allowed after the day’s fasting.

Holiest month

In Islam, Ramadan is considered the holiest month because it was the month in which the Koran was revealed to the prophet during the night of Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power), one of the last 10 days of Ramadan. At the Blue Mosque in Maharlika Village in Taguig City, Ustadhz Abdulbaki Abubakar said they prepared the mosque for the influx of worshipers. “ The ‘masjid ’ [mosque] was for devotees’ benefit,” he said, adding food for iftar every day

Muslims perform the Ramadan fast for fear of God and to get closer to Him, to develop Godconsciousness, patience and empathy with the less fortunate.”—Cana

is also being planned for worshipers,” said Abubakar, grand mufti of Zamboanga Peninsula. A tricycle driver, who gave his name as Omar, said fasting during Ramadan is very important to his family. “Even at the heat of the sun, I still fast and continue to drive to earn money,” he said. “Ramadan is business as usual even for tricycle drivers.” Muslims—from at least 14 Moro ethnic communities—in the Philippines are estimated variously at 8 million to 10 million, the majority in Muslim Mindanao. Many of them have since transferred to various parts of the Visayas and Luzon to escape the conflict in Mindanao, and look for better opportunities.

Five pillars

Islam’s five pillars are: Shahaddah, Salat, Sawm (Ramadan), Zakat and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). The 12 months under Hijra are: 1) Muharram; 2) Safar; 3) Rabi’ al-Awwal; 4) Rabi’ al-Thani; 5) Jumada al-Awwal; 6) Jumada alThani; 7) Rajab; 8) Sha’ban; 9) Ramadan; 10) Shawwal; 11) Dhu al-Qidah; and 12) Dhu al-Hijjah. Hijra months are similar to the 12 months in the Gregorian calendar being used in the Philippines and many other countries. However, since Hijra moves by moon cycles, making a Muslim year 11 days shorter compared to the Gregorian, the observance of Ramadan comes earlier each year. Next year, Ramadan may start on the first week of May. Hijra is used across many Arab countries. Hijra (Hijri or Hegira), means migration or f light from Mecca to Medina (now in Saudi Arabia), because it started with the migration of Islam’s prophet—and those who believed the message he was conveying—to escape the persecution they were receiving from their fellow Arabs, the nonbelievers. Islam’s New Year—on Muharram 1, 1439—coincided with September 21, 2017.

Beautiful and holy

Dymphna was born in Ireland in the seventh century. His father, King Damon, is a pagan, and her mother, a Christian, had her baptized secretly when she was young. He mother died when Dymphna was 14. The king was inconsolable and was advised by the court to marry again. He consented but the new wife should resemble her first wife. It was a futile search and it was suggested that he could marry Dymphna who had a striking resemblance with her mother. When the illicit marriage was proposed, Dymphna confided her concern to Father Gerebern, her confessor. She was advised to explain to his father how “sinful and horrible” is the proposal “but his father was deaf to her arguments,” according to Joan Carroll Cruz in Secular Saints. Aware of the king’s temper and vindictiveness, Father Gerebern, two trusted servants, the king’s jester and Dymphna escaped and landed in Antwerp, Belgium. They settled in Gheel near the Shrine of Saint Martin of Tours, according to Franciscan Mission Associates.org. In Gheel Dymphna built a hospital for the sick and the poor using her money (Saints Fun Facts, Saints and Angels). The spies of King Damon informed him of Dymphna’s place. The king again pleaded that they get married but she would rather die. The furious king ordered his men to kill

her and her companions. Father Gerebern and her companions were killed, but were adamant to harm the princess. The angry king drew his sword. Dymphna’s head which fell on his feet. She was barely 15 then.

Invoked in Mental Afflictions

The bodies were left exposed for days for fear of the king. Afterward, they were buried in a simple tomb and later transferred inside a chapel. The men tasked to dig the bodies were surprised to find them inside a tomb of white stones. A legend said they were reburied by angels spread. A red stone on the breast of Dymphna was also found. The stone was hung around the neck of people who made nine days novena in the shrine to be cured, according to Cruz. In 620 Dymphna was known as Lily of Eire and a church was built in her honor. However, a fire destroyed it in 1489. A new magnificent church was built in 1532. Houses for mentally ill patients were also built near the church, said in St. Dymphna.w w w.saint-mike.org. The facilities were considered Model of Community Recovery by Geel Bel and J. Goldstein of the Psychology Department of Stanford University. Dymphna received her crown of martyrdom in 620. She is invoked by those afflicted with mental disorders. Father Gerebern was also canonized. His relics are in Sonsbeck Germany. He is invoked by people suffering with fever and gout. He is the patron saint of Rhineland, Germany. Both saints are honored on May 15. Damo-Santiago is a former regional director of the Department of Education National Capital Region. She is currently a faculty member of Mater Redemptoris Collegium in Calauan, Laguna, and of Mater Redemptoris College in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

2nd public veneration of Saint John Paul II’s relic at Manila Cathedral

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By Samuel P. Medenilla

he Manila Cathedral is holding a second round of public veneration of the blood relic of Saint Pope John Paul II that ends on Sunday. The three-day veneration that started last Friday at the Manila Cathedral, also known as the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, aims to commemorate the birthday of the late pontiff on May 18, 1920. The public veneration on Sunday is from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. A special Mass for Family and Life—two of the major advocacies of John Paul—was held at 8 a.m. on Saturday and was followed by the veneration from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Manila Cathedral invited devotees of John Paul to participate in the event. The relic of Saint Pope John Paul II—a vial containing his blood—is currently one of the most prized possession of the Manila Cathedral since it is currently the only relic of a saint in the country in liquid form. It was first presented to the public last month, drawing thousands of devotees. John Paul II, who was born Karol Józef Wojtyla, was canonized by Pope Francis in 2014. Many Filipinos grew fond of John Paul II since he was able to visit the country twice. The first was in 1981, when he beatified the first Filipino saint, Lorenzo Ruiz, and in 1995, when he attended the World Youth Day hosted by the country.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Sunday, May 20, 2018

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For 25 years, Negros Occidental has been keeping a promise

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Story & photos by Celine Murillo

strip of land emerged in the distance, breaking the illusion that there was nothing but sea.

It looked like a toothbrush on its back with a spine of limestone for a handle, and bunches of trees for bristles. The surrounding waters gleamed metallic under the early sun; its deep ultramarine mesmerizing. Even from afar, it was clear that Danjugan was not like any other island.

Mount Kanlaon as viewed from Rapha Valley—a farmstay—in Salvador Benedicto

The five lagoons in Danjugan Island—three landlocked, two flooded over during high tides.

One of the many islets surrounding Sipalay

The briefing deck at Danjugan

Bacolod's Masskara also took to the stage.

The old-world glamorous interiors of The Mansion in Silay

An island saved

Situated in the midst of a locally declared marine reserve and wildlife sanctuary in the town of Cauayan in Negros Occidental, Danjugan Island is a 45-hectare islet privately managed by the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation. Through an extensive donation campaign in the 1990s, people from all over the world pitched in and averted possible destruction. Good thing, too, for the island is one of the most vibrant and richest landscapes in the Philippines. It harbors lagoons and lengths of pebbly white-sand beaches, bordered by a thriving marine life and carpeted with rainforests. It is home to 10 species of bats, and 72 species of birds, including the Tabon scrubfowl. Scientists have also recorded 579 species of fish and 244 species of corals flourishing in the surrounding waters. With this much biodiversity, it’s remarkable that along with being a protected area, Danjugan Island is also one of Negros Occidental’s prime ecotourism destinations. It does welcome tourists, regularly even, but under specific conditions. Danjugan is touted for its sustainable tourism practices, employing a strict carrying a 50-people capacity per day—a fixed number which entails accepting visits only via reservation. Once in the island, each visitor must attend a briefing before going around. They must also be accompanied by a local guide at all times during the tour, making sure guests don’t stray from the established trails. This way, the island suffers less human impact, allowing wildlife and the island itself to recover and thrive, under mitigated human impact.

The first of seven waterfalls of Mambukal

‘We protect what we love’

It’s not just the quality-over-quantity philosophy that makes Danjugan sustainable. The island regularly holds marine camps for the local youth from nearby communities. Stewardship, a sense of accountability and love for nature are inculcated to budding minds through experiential learning, facilitated by world experts on biology, conservation and wildlife protection. A scholarship program for students interested in pursuing a career related to these key subjects is also in place. Most of the employees in the island are also locals. By enjoining the communities, providing livelihood and education, the residents are discouraged from resorting to destructive practices like dynamite fishing and poaching. Allowing the people to see that the island is more valuable to them intact than destroyed had enabled them to become partners of the cause.

Not opposing themes

This is the kind of tourism model that the Philippines direly needs. Most of our tourist destinations are natural sites—environmental marvels that would eventually suffer the brunt of human impact, or worse, abused by human greed. To conserve our natural heritage, utilized for tourism, policies and

regulations must be in place, and strictly and consistently enforced by the locals and government agencies. If done right, tourism would engender a more sustainable source of livelihood for the communitiess. Like in the case of Danjugan, the residents fully understand what would happen should the island becomes threatened. As a result, they gladly take on the role of stewards and work for protection and conservation.

Land of sweet surprises

For a province largely known for its sugar plantations, it’s a bit of

a surprise—a delightful one at that—to find places like Danjugan in Negros Occidental. And sustainability has actually been a longstanding theme here. Since the sugar crisis of the 1970s and 1980s, the province had a powerful drive toward diversification. As evidenced by its varied produce, that campaign had been largely successful. The people obviously no longer rely on the sugar industry alone. There are countless others to choose from, all equally profitable and boosted by the local government: rice and corn, cattle, nuts and even small community-

based industries like pandan-weaving and silk production. Furthermore, islands like Danjugan aren’t the only tourist destinations in the province. There are the many heritage houses in Sipalay and Talisay. Farm destinations, in Bacolod and in Don Salvador, are also rising, with front-runners like May’s Garden and Rapha Valley being buoyed by the local government. And then, of course, there are the beaches of Silay, and the looming Mount Kanlaon. There’s a lot to be said, too, of its people. Refusing to be defined by the past, tragedy became some-

thing worthy of celebration. The Panaad Festival, for example, the annual event where all the towns gather for one big celebration, was birthed by strength of character— the term panaad being Hiligaynon for “promise.” And that promise? To learn from the past: The lesson of never putting all eggs in a single basket to propel the province to a brighter tomorrow. After 25 years, as evidenced by the many industries that thrive here, coupled with the drive towards sustainability, Negros Occidental is proving to have kept, and is continuously keeping, its word.

Guimaras: Sweet mangoes, sweet memories PHL destinations highlight in World’s Strongest Man 41st edition T By Gelyka Ruth R. Dumaraos

Bjornsson aims to clinch the world title after bagging the second place in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Bjornsson is also regarded as Europe’s Strongest Man.

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he Philippines recently hosted the 41st edition of the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competition from April 28 to May 6, with the country’s various top historic destinations serving as its backdrop. Former Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon T. Teo is optimistic that the recently hosted international sports event is a good promotion for the Philippines. “We will be able to showcase to the world our tourist destination, as well as to showcase that the Philippines is ready to host international sports events,” she said. According to Undersecretary of Tourism Advocacy and Public Affairs Kat de Castro, the Department of Tourism (DOT) coordinated with IMG, organizer of WSM, to bring in the world famous sports event to the country. She said, “Not only will we be concentrating in Manila but the production crew went all over the country so they can see different places in the Philippines.” De Castro added that the organizers want to feature destinations with historical background, and the DOT gave a list near Manila for the athletes and the crew to visit. The WSM crew has gone to historic destinations like Intramuros, Rizal Park, Las Casas Filipinas de Azucar in Bataan and in Corregidor Island. Shots were also filmed in Tagaytay City, Davao City and in Coron, Palawan. Eddie Hall, the current titleholder of WSM, also went with the crew.

Dealing with PHL heat

An athlete shows off his strength for the kettlebell toss round at the Philippine International Convention Center.​Teodoro Pelaez

She said this is a groundbreaking hosting for the DOT as it will prove the country’s capabilities of hosting international sports events while promoting destinations. Past WSM editions were filmed in Botswana, Malaysia, China and South America.

A showcase of strength

Over 30 athletes from Great Britain, Lithuania, Australia, Germany, South Africa, Russia, Iran and Poland showed off their lifting skills and stamina in the series of events around Manila. The athletes include four-time champion Brian Shaw of the United States, as well as Lithuania’s Zydrunas Savickas. Game of Thrones’s star Thor Bjornsson from Iceland, who plays as Gregor Clegane of The Mountain, was also a crowd favorite in the qualifying games.

Filming during the summer time, athletes knew that competing in a tropical location is a huge deal. Shaw said that they had to adjust to the country’s heat for the games by staying hydrated and prepared. He compared the weather from WSM’s past filming locations like China and Malaysia and he thinks that the Philippines’s heat is far different. He said, “The conditions played a big, big role in the competition, that’s for sure. Certainly, it’s obvious how big we are and we’re gonna be competing with the heat. A lot of us are not from climates anywhere close to this. So heat’s a big, big factor.” On April 28 the 30-strong competitors were welcomed in Manila for its first qualifying days at Rizal Park. Participants braved the scorching heat of the sun as they lifted 300-kilogram tricycles. On the second day, the athletes wowed the crowd in the Philippine International Convention Center grounds for the Squat Lift and Deadlift challenge, where they had to carry up to 850 pounds. WSM also had events in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The qualifying and final rounds were composed of lifting logs, pulling jeepneys, tricycles, double-decker buses and carrying metal kegs. The 41st edition of World Strongest Man will air in December.

he island province of Guimaras is synonymous to its sweet-tasting mango, and for good reason. This once-obscure territory across mainland Iloilo was just a vast mango orchard land, which yields export-quality harvests of the country’s national fruit. To mark its first founding anniversary as an independent province, it honored its famed tropical fruit. Thus, Manggahan Festival was born in 1993 and put to the fore its mango industry and rich cultural heritage. Guimaras was declared a subprovince of Iloilo in 1966, and proclaimed a full-fledged province on May 22, 1992, after the townsfolk ratified Republic Act 7160 in a plebiscite. Now on its 25th edition, this year’s festivities, themed “Bugana: Celebrating the Silver Glory of Manggahan Festival,” kicked off with a bang on May 11 with a street-dancing competition, agri-trade tourism fair, the Mango Chandelier and ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Caravan. According to Gov. Samuel Gumarin, the celebration aims to position Guimaras as the agri- and ecotourism capital of the Western Visayas region with its sprawling farms and natural wonders. Fringe events included the Mango Eat All You Can contests, Amazing Guimarace, concerts and entertainment shows, and sporting events, which include the Tour de Guimaras, the Philippine Downhill Series and the fourth Gov. Gumarin Motocross Challenge. The two-week feast culminates on May 22 with the 26th Provincial Founding Anniversary parade, cultural competition and the Sinadya sa Capitol cultural awarding. For beach bums, Alobijod Cove in Nueva Valencia is the province’s most popular beachfront, with its powdery sand and clear water. Framed by jagged rock formations, it is dotted by homey resorts and serves as the jump-off point for island hopping.

Manggahan Festival street dancing by Ernesto Villanueva

It is also the jump-off point to the Seafdec Marine Park, which breeds species of fish to repopulate the fishing grounds. Funded by Southeast Asian countries, it offers a unique tour to help visitors appreciate the importance of preserving the marine ecosystem. A must-try is the Suba Malawig Eco-Tour, a community-based program organized by the members of the barangay—from the guides and boatmen to the performers and homestays. Lending a touch of luxury amid the rustic setting is the upscale 70-room Andana Resort, a Mediterranean-inspired hotel, which offers a mesmerizing vista of the coves and outlying in Alobihod beach area and will be the best accommodation in the island. Guests can get their dose of adrenaline at Camp Alfredo in Sibunag with its 375-meter zipline, obstacle course, hanging bridge and adventure facilities. Others can simply laze at the camping grounds, feast on Ilonggo dishes or go fishing at the lagoon for a back-to-basics experience.

In Jordan town a must-visit is the Trappist Monastery, the country’s first monastery for men whose main come-on is the souvenir shop containing crafts and mango food products produced by the monks. Balaan Bukid, literally meaning “Holy Mountain,” is a pilgrimage site for Catholic devotees. Along the climb is the Stations of the Cross, and on its summit is the Chapel of Ave Maria Purisima and a big, white cross. It is the endpoint of the Pagtaltal sa Guimaras passion play held on Good Friday. An Instagram-worthy spot is the San Lorenzo Wind Farm, a 54-megawatt windmill energy project that has become a tourist magnet because of its breathtaking view, especially at sunset. Buenavista takes pride in Navalas Church, which has preserved its Spanish-era façade. On the town’s far end is Roca Encantada, the historic hilltop summer mansion of the prominent Lopez family built in 1910 which has a refreshing panorama of the Siete Pecados island chain.

Science

BusinessMirror

A8 Sunday, May 20, 2018

Sunday

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

DOST-PCIEERD funds Young Innovator's Program for high-school kids

Cebu’s young science geeks reach for the sky

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By Edd K. Usman | Special to the BusinessMirror

The capsule could have hit a hard object because there was a dent, detaching the copper tubing from the oxygen tank. It caused sea water to get inside. A video from one of the three memory cards (the other two SD cards were damaged), showed the mice were resting, not agitated, which indicated that internal condition was stable, he added.

EBU CITY—“The sky’s the limit” seems to be a goal, not a limit, for 11 teen-aged boys and girls in Cebu province.

Study on the stratosphere

Members of the Life Support System (LSS) Karunungan Flight Team, students and mentors and Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development representatives pose for posterity just before the balloon launch.

Student researchers of the LSS Flight Team work on High-Altitude Balloon sensors.

They are from Saint Cecilia College-Cebu Inc. (SCC-CI) in the first class municipality of Minglanilla with a population of 132,135 in 2015. The young science geeks of SCC, one college and 10 high-school student researchers, are recipients of the Young Innovator’s Program (YIP).

‘First generation’ YIP

They are “first generation” of SCC’s YIP recipients, Karunungan Flight Team: n Enrique III Pacudan, 16, Grade 10, wants to be a marine biologist; n John Rollene Pastor, 16, Grade 10, dreams of becoming a geologist after watching documentaries on the National Geographic channel; n Christian Lawrence Cantos, 16, Grade 10, is fascinated by the space since he was a child through his toys and is now even more into his dream of becoming an astronaut; n Justine Nid M. Daffon, 18, Grade 12, dreams to be a medical doctor; n Rhenz Jay Estrera, 18, Grade 12, is carving a path toward becoming a civil engineer; and n Jhy Rosheene Paunel, 18, Grade 12, wants to be a neurosurgeon.

‘Second generation’

Following them as the “second generation” Flight Team composed of: n Dorothy Mae M. Daffon, 14, Grade 9, wants to be an architect. She’s a younger sister to Justine; n Earl James M. Bacus, 15, Grade 9, aims to be an architect; n Joefer Emmanuel T. Capangpangan, 15, Grade 9,

Passion

sets his heart on being a civil engineer; n John Harold R. Abarquez, 16, Grade 9, is also setting a career path toward being a civil engineer; and n Joshua Pardorla, 20, first year college, is now pursuing his dream to become a computer programmer. This early, these flight team members have already set a high standard for their peers to follow.

Space on his mind

They were not alone, though. SCC instructor Wilfredo K. Pa rdorl a Jr., 24, teac her -re searcher with a Bachelor in Secondary Education, major in English, has been guiding them. He graduated from Cebu’s Talisay City College in 2014. With him were Christopher Caballa Jr., and Almida Plarisan as science mentors. Space has always been in Pardorla’s mind; he is now a certified science geek. He has units in solar system astronomy from Arizona State University in the United States. He will soon fly to Russia for a two-week immersion on science, particularly on space matters. On May 12 practically sleepless, tired and haggard, the team of Pardorla, mission director, from SCC launched their third High-Altitude Balloon (HAB) in the early morning sky before 3 a.m. The team had three hours of labor assembling their HAB and its payload of sensors.

First school to launch HAB

Pardorla said SCC is the first academic institution in the Philippines to launch H A B —and they did it thrice already. They beat bigger schools to the draw in the process.

Members of the LSS Flight Team pore over a big telescope.

Only a few souls—mostly from SCC—were around at the Minglanilla Sports Complex and Oval, the launch site, a walking distance from SCC, as the town was asleep. After poring over the HAB and its sensors payload, at 2:18 a.m., the team of enthusiastic though anxious—with “mixed feelings” all right—they let go their HAB into the cold evening sky. As the HAB, bought from the United States for P25,000, glided overhead, gradually gained speed, until the naked eye could not see it anymore, the small throng of enthusiasts broke into a spontaneous applause—surely a muchdeserved one, for the HAB and the young geeks that sent it skyward. “The launch was excellent,” Pardorla said in an interview. “Among the three [HABs launched] since 2016, it was the best.”

He was referring to the first they set off, which hit the roof of the sport complex and landed owing to slight miscalculation. “Weight is everything in HighAltitude Balloons. A slight miscalculation of weight and there will be no lift. The weight did not match the amount of hydrogen in the balloon. So, we pumped in more,” Pardorla recalled of their first HAB. Twice their HAB landed on the sea and recovered with the help of the Philippine Coast Guard. The third landed inland in Barangay Tacpao, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, some 89 kilometers. between the two provinces. It was found and picked up by a farmer, Pedro Perolino, from Sitio Kalabasa, Barangay Tacpao, and turned it over to members of the Life Support System (LSS) Karunungan Flight Team the same day.

The launch was excellent. Among the three [HABs launched] since 2016, it was the best.”—Pardorla

His team’s first launch caught the attention of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). Soon PCIEERD invited them to participate in the search for its YIP. Introduced dur ing its seventh anniversar y celebration on June 29, 2017, PCIEERD’s YIP helps researchers in highschool work on their passion. Only seven—five schools (one of them the SCC) and two individuals—passed the YIP’s stringent qualification requirements. For YIP, PCIEERD grants as much as P500,000 for a research project. SCC received P250,000 for its HAB research project, the space technology application. Their second HAB flew on May 8, sailed into the sky and landed in the sea off Negros Oriental, and fished off by fishermen. The HAB had a payload of, aside from sensors, seven mice for an experiment on LSS in space for four hours, with a reserve for one to two hours for recovery. The second and third HAB ma rked t he ut i l i zat ion of PCIEERD’s funding grant. “W hat happened after four hours, we had ‘lost-case’ balloon. More than 24 hours of search and recovery, it was recovered at sea by fishermen,” he narrated. Unfortunately, the seven mice were found dead. The “capsule” that contained the mice and its LSS showed intense shaking due to mishandling by the fisherman, and a small amount of seawater was found inside. He blamed the copper tubing connected to the small external oxygen tank leading to the LSS inside.

The H A Bs were meant to study the stratosphere, which is above what is ca l led the “A r mstrong Line,” the area where no one can sur v ive w ithout a space suit. But it is not quite “space” yet. Pardorla explained that the stratosphere is the area in the sky between Earth and space. He said that for their experiment it was a perfect area because it simulates the space. The team placed sensors for temperatures inside and outside, for internal and external air pressure, for internal and external humidity, for ambient light and for oxygen and carbon dioxide. There also were two GPS devices for redundancy. He said external sensors are more complex because they have to be space-rated, which means it can survive up to minus 55 degrees Celsius (about eight times colder than a freezer). The school’s HAB had a “burst altitude” of approximately 100,000 feet (30,000 meters). It means it will burst around that altitude as it could no longer take its expansion caused by the gas inside, he pointed out. The HAB has a launch volume of 11.5 cubic meters, with 2.80 meters launch diameter. Up in the stratosphere, its gas expands up to 1,150 cubic meters with 13 meters of burst diameter, Pastor said. “It took us nine to 10 months to assemble all the sensors, which included programming and various rigid testing, to ensure that it is space-rated and flight-ready,” Cantos recalled. The Assembly of the entire payload train, on the other hand, took the team approximately 14 hours for the launch. A single 3,000 gram balloon costs around P25,000, inclusive of shipping. Pardorla said they are still analyzing the data from the latest HAB. In the first and second HABs, he added they were able to prove that on the stratosphere there is extreme low pressure and extreme low temperature. A human in the stratosphere without a space suit will have his blood boil and experience hypoxia. Humidity is very low; there is no vapor. Thus, in flying High Altitude Balloon, “we can simulate space-like conditions,” Pardorla said.

Pinoy whiz kids reap honors at global science exhibition

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rade-school pupils from Taguig Integrated School (TIS) recently brought the country honor and pride on the world stage as they won major science awards for inventing innovative yet practical household products. The two winning products, “Euphorbia Hirta Dengue-Relieving Tea” and “Coconut Oil, Basil and Beeswax Anti-Bacterial and Mosquito Repellant Candle” won gold and silver prizes, respectively, at the International Engineering Invention and Innovation Exhibition organized by the World Invention Intellectual Property Association and the International Federation of Inventors’ Association at Universiti Malaysia Perlis in Perlis, Malaysia, last month. TIS’s Kenth Andrew Gallarda, Franxes Keisha Joven and Francis Elija Valdez took

home the gold award, while Ivan Gabriel de Lumen, Issachar Philippe’e Zerda and Vien Kiosoffe Lopez won silver. The teams were led by research advisers and TIS faculty members Rosenda Puno, Georgie Amaranto and Grace Binalla. The Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate foundation of the Aboitiz Group, provided the school’s learning facilities as well as financial support during the three-day exhibition as part of its broader and strong commitment to the Department of Education Special Science Elementary Schools (DepEd SSES) project. As part of the DepED SSES project, the science participants explained that their inventions were inspired by practical everyday challenges that they sought to address.

“Many people today have dengue, especially in our community, and we want to help relieve their symptoms through the euphorbia, which make blood platelets reproduce faster,” Joven said. “I felt a bit nervous during the questionand-answer portion because I thought the questions from the jury would be too hard. Still, I was able to answer some of them,” Gallarda said of his experience at the contest. “I felt really happy for our students. Aboitiz proved to be a really big help. Besides the laboratory provided by the Aboitiz Foundation, the equipment for research, such as projectors and computers can definitely be used in the future,” Puno said. “ Th i s b i g w i n by o u r s t u d e nt beneficiaries from TIS truly motivates us. The Aboitiz Foundation will continue

s u p p o r t i n g i m p o r t a n t e d u c at i o n a l initiatives, particularly the strengthening of SSES and technical-vocational high schools, as we help communities feel empowered, safe and be sustainable,” said Maribeth L. Marasigan, Aboitiz Foundation first vice president and COO. The Aboitiz Group has long been supportive of the country’s public education system, believing this is where the group can make the biggest impact. The Aboitiz Foundation aims to help improve the quality of universal public education in the country. This, in turn, supports one of the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals, specifically on quality education, that is ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

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Editor: Tet Andolong

Sunday, May 20, 2018

A9

Marriott brand boosts presence in the Philippines

Pool party during the launch of Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo

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courtyard by Marriott Iloilo

Story & photos by Rodel Ambas Jr.

T looks like the opening of Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo serves a prelude to what is in store for global hotel brand in the Philippines. With already two properties operating and several more in the pipeline—including the upmarket Ritz-Carlton—the company is decidedly bullish with the country’s tourism industry and economy. According to Bruce Winton, Marriott Manila cluster general manager, hotel brands are coming into the Philippines in numbers unseen before. “It’s long overdue. I think the [Philippine] economy has been growing for a decade now and you’ve got a rising middle class, there’s more disposable income, and there’s an increase in foreign investment—and those things breathe success.” Although the Philippines has historically been underrepresented in terms of presence of global hotel brands, unlike other Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand and even Vietnam, Winton said that this scenario is rapidly changing. Marriott’s development pipeline in the here over the next several years involves 10 properties with 2,600 rooms. Aside from the 326-room Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo that opened recently, the hotel chain will open the 250-room

the gym

Marriott Hotel Clark in Pampanga later this year, and two property under its Sheraton brand: Sheraton Hotel Manila in the Resorts World Complex in Pasay and Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort. These properties are scheduled to open in the first and third quarters of 2019, respectively. In addition, Winton revealed that Marriott has recently signed a contract with a local partner to build another Courtyard property in downtown Cebu City, and on top of all these is the swanky RitzCarlton, also in the Resorts World Complex, which is expected to open by the first quarter of 2020. The Bethesda, Maryland-based company is expecting to have at least seven brands under Marriott to have a strong presence in the country.

First international hotel in Iloilo province

In Megaworld’s 72-hectare Iloilo

Event host Ruffa Gutierrez (From left) with Bruce Winton, Marriott Manila cluster general manager; Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo General Manager Cleofe Albiso; and Travellers International Hotel Group President and CEO Kingson Sian

Business Park in the city’s Mandurriao District, the 326-room Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo is owned by Megaworld Corp. and is managed by Marriott International. According to the hotel’s General Manager Cleofe Albiso, Courtyard Iloilo offers guests convenient access to the district’s growing information technology industry and the province’s top tourist draws. It will also tap into the city’s growing MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry, being located beside the Iloilo Convention Center. The property is also the first international hotel brand in Iloilo province, Winton shared. “If you look back 20 years ago, Cebu City Marriott Hotel is the first international hotel brand in

the swimming pool

the city and it was phenomenally successful. We like to be in that situation where we can be first and Iloilo is doing all the right things—all seems to be in the right order.” Aside from Megaworld, every major real-estate player has a presence in Iloilo, including Ayala Land, SM and Robinsons. “We can really see the future, and the way Iloilo has it planned is conducive for organic growth and we’re really looking forward to this trend.”

Functionality and practicality rule

Boasting rooms with contemporary, Scandinavian design, Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo also features an innovative lobby, three restaurants and features not seen in other hotel properties. According

to Albiso, part of Marriott’s passion to keep on innovating and this clearly reflects on its properties. “Before, it was more of how grand it would look, and there were so many features that were not functional—they’re nice to have and nice for the eyes. Nowadays, hotel design calls for more functionality and practically.” One such feature is the presence of USB ports on both sides of the bed, right at the bedside table. Albiso said that since we are on our smartphones all the time, one of travelers’ main concerns is an accessible place where they can use and charge their devices at the same time. “As a traveler you really don’t think much about it, but when you see it, you’re just amazed,” Albiso added. Two additional innovative fea-

guest room

tures of Courtyard Iloilo’s rooms are the “Luggage Drop” where guests can unpack and store their bags, and the “LoungeAround” sofa that offers a comfortable area of relaxing or for working. It also features a light desk on wheels, which allows guests to work from anywhere in the room. Courtyard Iloilo’s overall design is also somewhat different from the usual Courtyard property, especially those in the United States. “The old Courtyards are quite limited in space,” Albiso shared. She added that being in a tropical country, hotel stays in the Philippines always have that vacation vibe, and this reflects in Courtyard Iloilo’s ambiance. “Before, you check in to a hotel because you were there for a meeting or for business. But now we realize that we need to balance our lives. So we know to put some hours for work, insert a little of vacation, explore the locality and eat local food. This makes Iloilo the perfect location for a reinvented Courtyard hotel property, as most of the province’s top tourist draws are nearby, including the heritage churches of Jaro, Miagao and Molo and the picturesque island-province of Guimaras.” In a lot of ways, Iloilo has a lot of things going for it, said Kingson Sian, president and CEO of Travellers International Hotel Group, the Megaworld subsidiary that owns Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo. “It got a brand-new airport and in my opinion it has better urban planning. Unlike Cebu, it has less congestion and vehicular traffic. Cebu is a great city, but some of its pitfalls are being avoided by Iloilo. So, in that sense, all the necessary ingredients to make Iloilo grow are there.”

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»life on the go

A10 Sunday, May 20, 2018

Editor: Tet Andolong

Filipino choice for quality budget accommodation in SG

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By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28

WNING a piece of property in Singapore, which is reputably known as among the most luxurious in the world, is not cheap. What more of renting or just booking a small space to stay in for a while, thus making traveling in this city state quite a challenge, particularly for low airfare-hunting Filipino globetrotters? But not until disruptive online marketplace and hospitality-service provider Airbnb and budget-accommodation facilities have sprouted and dotted across this small yet economic power in Southeast Asia. Amid the high cost of living, staying there for a few days or longer is now possible even for those on a tight budget—

a choice that only the moneyed people used to afford. Along the entertainment and clubbing district of Geylang, for instance, Lemon Grass Hotel started welcoming guests in January 2008, and since then has become the preferred “pocket-friendly” property to billet in from among local and foreign travelers. “With its very friendly room rates, guests can further stretch their brief hiatus in Singapore with a very reasonable yet quality experience,” Froilan Martinez, a backpacker from Quezon City,

told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail interview. A travel junkie himself, he is among the local tourists who have come to Singapore more often— five times to date—and stayed in budget lodging facilities. At 34 Geylang Lorong 22, Lemon Grass, according to him, is his “goto” hotel because it’s “unassuming” compared to other establishments of similar kind around the area. “From a distance, the façade is simply designed like the frontage of any regular inn. Upon entering, however, its quaint yet well-kept premise greets the visitors,” he noted, while citing that he has recommended it to his other friends who, in turn, had the same feedback about the property. The reception area is minimally equipped with comfortable seats for guests checking in or out of the hotel. Adjacent to this is the hallway leading to the elevator that brings them to their assigned lodgings. At the upper levels, modern rooms—deluxe double, superior twin, triple, quadruple and fam-

ily suite—open up to views of the city. Each is equipped with regular hotel amenities, such as single or double beds with soft pillows and comforters, desks, lighting fixtures, air-conditioning, LCD/ plasma-screen television, safetydeposit boxes, minibar, ironing facilities and en suite restrooms with showers, bathtubs and toiletries, among others. Each of the accommodating and courteous hotel staff members make sure that Lemon Grass Hotel is always in its great appearance for guests to enjoy. From the lobby to the guest’s beddings, they are well appointed, tidy, new and amiable looking. Outside of the building is an al fresco terrace/garden with verdant foliage. Here, tables and chairs are spread for dining or a simple hang-out place for lodgers and their visitors. There’s also a breakfast area. Glass-walled, it serves as a pantry for a light to heavy morning meal and a business area to hold a simple meeting and tete-a-tete that needs privacy.

Every day’s a new buffet at Cucina

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IRM foodies can be sure they will find exactly that at the award-winning Cucina restaurant of Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, in a themed selection that changes daily. Intended to keep appetites in suspense, Gastronomic Comforts promises a revolving spread of delicious selections to tempt even the most jaded palates. Kick the week off on Monday with Build Your Own Burger, featuring a meaty tower of juicy patties;

followed on Tuesday with Hot Off the Grill showcasing succulent seafood; Wednesday, it’s Make Your Own Pizza that will challenge your creativity; Thursday is Tex-Mex Fiesta going loco over South of the Border salsas and tortillas; and Friday into the weekend stars Chef’s Signature Dishes. At Cucina, whether lunch or dinner, the feasting never ends. You wouldn’t want it to. For more about Cucina, visit www.marcopolohotels.

The newspaper and magazine stand, as well as the vending machine at the entrance, offer guests a daily dose of current events and cold refreshments. Those who come with their cars can avail themselves of the space for their vehicles free of charge at the parking area fronting the hotel. A vast array of services include Internet connection, daily housekeeping, 24-hour front desk, laundry, facilities for disabled and fax/ photocopy machine. The hotel also understands the needs of its guests, especially those coming from the Philippines, when traveling: Spacious room for luggages. “When checking out early, but the time for airport departure is scheduled toward the end of the day or delayed as the usual problem of our Filipino guests, we offer them free luggage-keeping service to help them still maximize their Singapore adventure without letting them carry heavy bags of pasalubong for their loved ones back home,” said Ewoud van Woerkom, owner of Lemon Grass

Hotel Singapore. According to him, they follow world-class standards in maintaining the entire facility—this way, they can ensure that cleanliness and comfort are on top of their priorities. “Here at Lemon Grass Hotel Singapore, we love the appreciativeness and openness of our Filipino guests, so we’re just returning them the hospitality they deserve tenfold. Also, we are believers of spending more on travel experience than the hotel stay. We’re just here to let you feel you’re home even if you’re miles away from home—providing you with spacious rooms and comfortable beds after a long, fun day outside the beautiful city of Singapore,” he stressed. Lemon Grass Hotel is strategically located near all main attractions in Singapore. Approximately, it’s half-an-hour distance via MRT, bus or taxi. It is also close to the Changi International Airport, which adds up to the total convenience of staying guests. www.lemongrasshotel.com

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BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Sunday, May 20, 2018 A11

A journey to wellness in the south Story & photos by Bernard L. Supetran

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ENTION “Cebu” and, immediately, images of powdery beaches, handcrafted guitars, danggit, otap and Lapu-Lapu Shrine come to mind. With its plethora of star-rated hotels and resorts, Cebu—the city and the province—is also an all-time favorite for family staycation and recreation. Today, there is another compelling reason to bask in this good old getaway because of its role as a hub for medical tourism in the southern Philippines with the emergence of world-class facilities that offer healing while vacationing. Situated near the foot of the scenic Marcelo Fernan Bridge in Mandaue City are the twin establishments of Maayo Hotel and Maayo Well, Cebu’s first four-star hotel and wellness complex, which offers top-of-the-line hotel services, integrative medicine and professional aesthetic services. Embodying the perfect blend of wellness and hospitality, Maayo derives its name from the Visayan word, which means “good” or “well”—the end-goal of what it desires to achieve with its guests who enter its doors. According Maayo owner William Liu, it is their company’s vision is to provide a holistic experience that combines medical, wellness and aesthetic services in under one roof. The hotel is the hospitality arm of the Primary Group of Builders, which specializes in engineering, construction and real estate in key urban areas in the Visayas and Mindanao. “The idea is for our guests to come back better. So whether you are coming in for travel or to seek medical treatments, at Maayo you can experience both and leave better than when you came here,” Liu enthuses. He said that, with the Philippines ranked as the world’s top 8 medicaltourism destination, Maayo aims to help bring in more quality tourists for a journey to wellness in the queen city of the south.

Maayo may be like the typical lodging, but it has taken pains to make its rooms and facilities cozy and artsy to inspire relaxation, creativity and wholeness. For instance, its common areas are adorned with paintings, wood sculptures, antiques and assorted knick-knacks, which are handiworks by local artists and craftsmen. The hotel has also thrown in unique features, such as a yoga space, rooftop garden and jogging trail, a scenic roof-deck infinity pool and an aqua yoga pool. Yoga buffs can purchase a Wellness Kit, which contains a yoga mat, fitness ball, medicine ball and dumbbells, so they can limber at their spacious rooms. The rooftop Ani Restaurant is a classy dining outlet with a sweeping view of the Mactan Channel and the hills, which offers a continental menu, which are sourced from community farmers and fishermen. Up to 90 percent of the dishes served are organic, in keeping with its philosophy of holistic wellness for its visitors. The resto has occasional executive lunches with buffets, which are, surprisingly, reasonably priced. But what sets it a cut above the rest is Maayo Well, an adjoining facility that houses modern outpatient clinics for wellness and aesthetic services, performed by locally and internationally trained nurses and doctors. Far from the intimidating ambiance of a clinic, guests instead get the welcoming feeling of a boutique lifestyle mall with its spanking interiors, inviting lounges and staff who exude the typical Visayan

Clinic reception lounge

Maayo Hotel lobby

Roof-deck pool with a view of Mactan Channel

warm hospitality. They call people “visitors” and not “patients”, to give them a relaxed feeling. Those undergoing a wellness program are assigned a migo or miga, colloquial for friend in Visayan, or a personal patientcare assistant who will guide them through the entire process. Maayo offers top-of-line hydrofacial, lightening, age-defying facial, body-toning Discovery PICO treatment, body-contouring Exilis, restorative dentistry, oral prophy-

Dining tables with a view at Ani resto

laxis, health drips and infusions, to name a few. “Our emphasis is preventive care. Our goal is to make you stay well,” said Maayo Medical CEO Dr. Ted Gonzales, who claims himself to be the proverbial poster boy of its restorative medicine program. “We have a hotel ambience in a health-care facility.” There are sections on liver wellness, nutrition education, diabetes care, oncology unit, hemodialysis, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, ophthal-

mology, orthodontics, prosthetics, physical rehabilitation and movement wellness at the fitness gym. Maayo Well has a wide array of comprehensive executive checkup packages for all ages, and it can also customize wellness and beauty programs, which can be designed to complement a guest’s staycation. The more complex health issues are referred to general hospitals and medical centers where Maayo has forged partnerships. On top of these services, guests

can enjoy unparalleled privacy, with its discrete entrances for those who have undergone confidential treatments. As part of the hotel group’s expansion, it is spreading its wings and putting up beach resorts to the touristic towns of Argao and San Remigio in southern and northern Cebu province, respectively, which will surely offer a taste of the flair, the southern comfort and journey to wellness Maayo is known for. www.maayohotels.com.

Enjoy 360 degrees of nature at Pico de Loro

H

By Jacqueline Salvador-Marvida

AMILO Coast is a new luxury residential beachfront condominium development at Pico de Loro Cove, which is situated along the Nasugbu coastline. Hamilo Coast is composed of 13 coves with 31-kilometer coastline. It is envisioned to become a resort town, where seaside living mat eventually become an everyday lifestyle choice. Pico de loro Cove is the 40-hectare maiden development that offers beach homes and membership. With this vision in mind, Hamilo Coast recently presented Freia, where future residents can indulge in the spectacular panorama of the sea, verdant mountains and the serenity that come with it. Hamilo Coast is now approximately 90 minutes from Manila via Cavite Expressway and the new Temate-Nasugbu road. Freia, indeed, provides the best vantage points looking out to the picturesque West Philippine Sea and the Pico de Loro mountains. Its prime location makes it just a five-minute stroll away from the Pico Beach, flaunting the white sand and blue water on a 1.5-kilometer long of endless beauty. A contemporary tropical designed three-step mid-rise structure surrounded by panoramic views that set the tone for Freia. Each unit has expansive, fitted-out living spaces with high-quality fixtures for your convenient and elevated lifestyle. A premium seaside living,

Freia will have in its roster 223 superior condominium units that include spacious flats and three-bedroom penthouses. Ranging in size from 67 sq m to 392 sq m these resorttype condo residences are designed with sustainable green living in mind and exude a tropical vibe enhanced by its masterfully designed architecture by Broadway Malyan and GF and Partners. Unit owners at Freia also come with membership at the Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club—giving the homeowners a chance to enjoy a variety of recreational and sports facilities in Hamilo Coast. Freia homeowners have exclusive access to their own pocket parks, function room, lounge area and private pool. Each unit purchase comes with membership at the Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club. It features large panel windows, balcony for every unit, spacious and fitted-out units, four high-speed elevators and sustainable building strategies with the use of solar panels, as well as natural light and ventilation, and efficient waste management. Unit owners can enjoy watersports facilities, basketball and badminton courts, indoor children’s playground, outdoor and infinity pools, gym and fitness center, bowling and billiard center and unwinding place of the bar and sumptuous foods from the restaurant. Common areas of the condominium, such as the lobby, was interior-designed by Budji+Royal with the cutting-edge local and international design concepts and high-quality fixtures, giving residents a total luxury beach, resort experi-

Pico de Loro Cove

Prime view beach homes at Freia

The Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club

FREIA’s superior units offer the best vantage points to picturesque mountain and seaside views.

ence. Freia’s residents will have exclusive access to its upscale, resort-style amenities. The entire development was designed to maximize Pico de Loro’s natural environment, while minimizing waste at the beach homes. Supporting Hamilo Coast’s commitment to

responsible stewardship of nature and the seaside community’s natural topographies, Freia at Pico de Loro Cove also takes pride in its features that allow sustainable green living and consider cost-efficient operations. Natural ventilation and daylighting, photovoltaic roof-

ing and efficient waste-management system will ensure reduced carbon footprints on the part of the residential community. Beach resort living can now become an everyday lifestyle option with Hamilo Coast’s careful integration of residential, resort, leisure, com-

mercial and institutional land uses. Potential homeowners may thus consider freia as a luxury retirement home and not just a weekend getaway. With the naturally stunning views and amenity features that are a cut above the rest—defining coastal living and truly a 360 degree of nature.

Journey BusinessMirror

»life on the go

BusinessMirror

Sunday, May 20, 2018

A12

Editor: Tet Andolong

AFRICANIZED! I

THE TOURISM ADVOCATE

mmersed, in love and never wanting to leave. This was how I feel about Africa.

My adventure levels were really put to the test, especially at the ecological and physical levels when I was flung from a raft like a catapult from a level 6 river and run through a washing machine in a grade 6 river, and my now legendary slide through the Bwindi impenetrable forest channeling Diane Fossey as I was swatted with a tree wielded by an irate mountain gorilla. I take on everything, even a silverback in the wild, eat anything like forest ants, and everyone smiles around me. I never get a cold shoulder because I am forever touching people’s throats as they speak so I can mimic their words, or break the ice...maybe both. My first experience of Africa was Egypt, but that wasn’t really Africa but more of the Arab region. Ethiopia changed everything for me, and my recent trip to East Africa just caused me to be, what I term, #Africanized. Saving my adventures on Uganda and Rwanda for a subsequent column, I decided to speak to other fellow inveterate travelers about my the one true place that taught me, we are part of one tribe.

Raymond Rufino Sustainability champion and chairman of the Urban Land Institute What’s your favorite African country? Tanzania.

South Africa and Botswana, as these are the only two I have visited thus far.

What’s the one unforgettable memory for you? Tribes? Food? Safari? Nature?

During our Safari Walks, the local tribe showed us how they source water and medicine from the arid and barren desert—which apparently is not barren at all. Unforgettable and powerful experience.

the Samburu tribe’s breakfast of fresh blood and milk make them tall and strong.

Can you say you’ve been Africanized? How?

Not quite Africanized, but I can say that Africa and its people are special to me now. Africa also brought me closer to my already strong sentiments to conservation and recycling. Tito and I adopted two elephants!

Next wishlist destination in Africa for you?

Tanzania and Kenya for the great migration.

Rina Ortiz Philanthropist and yoga teacher

Raymond Rufino with his forever travel companion Ana Palabyan Rufino in the Okavango Delta in Botswana on the occasion of his 40th

What’s your favorite African country?

of nourishment fascinated me. They are really tall people, and thin but healthy beyond belief.

What’s the one unforgettable memory for you? Tribes? Food? Safari? Nature?

Can you say you’ve been Africanized? How?

Tanzania.

The Samburu Tribe. The Samburu tribe and its diet of fresh cow blood and milk as primary source

Only that I love being in the bush and being among animals. I love the tribes, as they are so wise. Wiser than “educated” people. Ubuntu is a big thing for Tito (Ortiz) and I.

Next wishlist destination in Africa for you?

Ethiopia. I wish to go to Ethiopia to see for myself how Easter is celebrated there, as Christianity was there very early on. I have a unique affiliation for early Christianity.

Brad Geiser Marketing futurist, cofounder, GeiserMaclang What’s your favorite African country? You may mention several.

My favorite African country is Morocco because it is so culturally dense and authentic. It welcomes you as a tourist but it won’t put on a show for you.

What’s the one unforgettable memory for you? Tribes? Food? Safari? Nature?

My favorite experience is wandering the huge market of Fez, where I saw at least 50 things I had never seen before, where I felt truly transported to another place and time. It was beautiful, gruesome and confusing all at the same time.

Photo shows Chal Chang Lontoc del Rosario, Jeron Travel. Fashion and Africa go together.

Can you say you’ve been Africanized? How?

I haven’t. Africa is where I go

to experience the unfamiliar, that beautiful sense of complete otherness, expressed culturally, ethnically and in encounters with wildlife.

Next wishlist destination in Africa for you?

Where in Africa do I want to go next? Swaziland. It is this isolated postage stamp in the middle of Africa. Very untouched by the world. I’ve gotta see it.

Chal Chang Lontoc del Rosario President and general manager of Jerome Travel What’s your favorite African country?

I’ve only been to Africa once, but we do intend to go back again when the kids are older. South Africa is definitely unforgettable. It was a good eye-opener and start for us to go around Africa in the future.

What’s the one unforgettable memory for you? Tribes? Food? Safari? Nature?

We had a 2-year-old who celebrated his birthday in Mabula Game lodge. Compared to other game reserves, this one was very kid-friendly. We even got to do lion gaming, where kids aren’t normally allowed to do. The safari experience was spectacular. As much as we love Disneyland, this was one topped it.... Mother Nature’s theme park! I also enjoyed Lesedi Cultural Center. It got me acquainted with the many different tribes of Africa. And the music...wow! I still listen to African music to this day! Cape Town is a breath of fresh

Forever traveled, saving the world one malnourished person at a time: Leo Barre.

air (literally, too!). Table Mountain was the perfect backdrop for everywhere and anywhere we went. There’s so many to mention actually. I have deep respect for Africans and their roots. The rangers, guides, and random people, they all have a certain depth to them.

Can you say you’ve been Africanized? How?

Ha! Yes! Their history always allures me. Now, every time I see an article about Africa, I make time to read more about it. I listen to their music at home and during walks. Best of all, I’m in love with their textile and cultural fashion!

Next wishlist destination in Africa for you?

Zimbabwe and Kenya. It would be such a blessing to witness the great migration!

Leo Barre Country manager, Nutriset food sustainability advocate What’s your favorite African country?

I’ve been growing in Reunion Island, a French colony that lies in the middle of the Indian Ocean. If you don’t zoom in enough on google maps, you won't even see it. I only know Madagascar, South Africa and Mozambique. Mauritius, twin island of Reunion Island, is not really “african” in a way, as the indian influence is much more vivid. Out of them, I have to pick South Africa. It has a diversity of landscapes that is exquisite. I don’t like all aspects about South Africa,

don’t get me wrong. I feel blessed that I was living so close, but so far in terms of mind-set, as Reunion Island is a pure blend of cultures living in harmony. In that sense, my real favorite country in Africa is my own country: Reunion Island! Patriotism is important. As much as I love the Philippines, I am a bit struck to realize how so many traditions, ancestral spirituality are not being transmitted anymore from one generation to the other, at the expense of mmainstream American globalized culture (sorry USA, I’m French still!).

What’s the one unforgettable memory for you? Tribes? Food? Safari? Nature?

All of them. Just the African spirit is the one that makes people the most alive for me. For me music is the best thing to experience living in an African country, for all forms of music expression originate there. It provides different ways of self-expression to unite people together. A lot is improvised, felt and not theorized.

Can you say you’ve been Africanized? How?

I have been Africanized, just like I’ve been Brownized, and still remain of white extraction. I am a mix of all influences. Again it’s very specific to Reunion Island.

Next wishlist destination in Africa for you?

Morocco, Algeria and Cameroon as priority countries. For different reasons, including practical ones. They are French-speaking countries.